Organize an ExhibitionAs collectors are the players members of the hanging commitee for an exhibition about the German painter Carl Spitzweg. Success is measured as the collector who contributes the most, and the most valuable works, to the exhibition. Each exhibition is closed when a specific number of works have been submitted to the gallery. The players will then score points the placed paintings. The player who placed the last card doubles his score for this exhibition. The game then continues with the next exhibition, which must be one painting larger than the previous.

The GoalThe game ends when all cards have been played. Cards still in hands after the final exhibition counts against the player's score, and the player with the largest score is the best exhibitor and has won the game.

Game Components

80 different cards featuring works of Carl Spitzweg. The cards are divided into values (2 x the numbers 1 to 10) and border colors (themes).

6 Joker cards featuring the master himself. These can be used instead of any other card.

80 tokens (20 each of the player colors yellow, white, grey, purple). Each card a player is putting into an exhibition is marked with a token of his color.

1 wad of Score sheets, printed on both sides. One side for 3-4 players (1 game) and the other for 2 players (and 2 games).[Translator's note: The 3/4-player sheet is misprinted. Only lines 14-18 are actually used in a game.]

1 Pencil

A 12 page booklet describing the the featured works of the artist.

Preparing the Game

Each player chooses a color and taks the 20 tokens in that color.

The 80 Painting cards and the 6 Joker cards are thoroughly shuffled.

10 cards are distributed to each player. The players takes the cards into their hand, keeping them hidden from the other players.

The rest of the cards are placed face down as a draw pile within easy reach of everybody.

The player with the most pointy nose begins the game.[Translator's note: Wordplay on the artist's name: "Spitzweg" can be translated as "pointy path".]

Game playOpening of an ExhibitionThe First player opens the exhibition:

He draw the top card from the draw pile and places it face up in the center of the table. Then he may add at least 2 cards from his hand to this Start card.See the "Rules for Placement".

If the player was able to do this, is the exhibition sucessfully opened. The player marks each card with one of his tokens - even the Start card. The player may naturally place more cards than necessary to open the exhibition.

If the player does not have the needed cards (or does not want to use them), then he must pass and the player to his left get's to play.

Can (or will) no player place the needed cards, will the First player add the Start card to his hand.

Then he plays another cards from his hand as the new Start card. But he may not play further cards this turn (that would be too easy) and he does not place a token on the Start card either.

The next player to add the needed cards to the Start card opens the exhibition and places a token in his color on all cards (including the Start card).

Having succesfully opened an exhibition, must that player finally discard a card from his hand, thus creating an open discard pile called the "Art Market". The player to his left then takes his turn.

Turn SequenceAfter an exhibition has been succesfully opened must each player, in seating order, perform 2 actions in the order stated:

1. He draw a card from the hidden pile
or He takes all cards from the open Art Market pile into his hand.

2. Then he may add any number of Paintings from his hand to the exhibition. The player must follow the rules for placement as described in the folloing chapter. He marks each added Painting with a token of his color (important for the scoring). Finally must he end his turn by discarding another Painting card to the Art Market pile. The player may pass the second option without adding cards to the exhibition. In this case does he not discard to the Art Market.

Then the player to his left takes his turn.

Rules for PlacementThe Painting cards are placed adjacent to each other in accordance with these rules:

1) In groups of the same border color in ascending or descending numeric order.
The numbers wrap around so that a 10 may be followed by a 1 and vice versa.The same exhibition may contain several groups of the same color.

4 Examples:3 4 5 - 5 4 3 2 - 9 10 1 - 2 1 10 9

2) In groups of the same value of any color.
The same color may appear several times within the same group. Each exhibition may only have one group of each value, so once a 4-group has been established can a new 4-group not be formed in that exhibition.

2 Examples:4 444 - 333

3) Each card must be placed adjacent to at least one other card in that exhibition.They must be horizontally or vertically adjacent. Diagonal placement is not allowed.

4) When a card is placed in a new direction is the player forming a new group.A new group must always contain with at least 3 cards.

5) A player may place any number of cards anywhere in the exhibition. That could even be a single card, as long as he in extending an existing group. Only when forming a new group (rule 4) may he be forced to place more cards.

6) The exhibition area is limited and must be confined to a space of 8 x 5 cards. Should a player break this rule during placement, must he redo his entire turn. If a player cannot make a legal placement must he pass.

Example: (Illustration page 2, top right)
This example show several legal placements: At the beginning of a player's turn does the exhibition contain a group of red cards: 6 7 8 9 10 1. The player is playing the following cards: 1) the red group is extended by adding a 2; 2) a new group of "10's" is created by placing a blue 10 above the red 10, plus a blue 10 and a yellow 10 below. The new group must contain at least 3 cards, so it would have been legal even without the yellow card. The player is now adding a yellow 9 and a 8 to form a new group at the yellow 10.

Special cases:(Illustration page 2, bottom right)
The exhibition contains a group of six red cards: 6 7 8 9 10 1 as well as a group of four "10's": 10101010. The player wants to add a grey 9 above the red 9 plus a blue 9 below, thus forming a new group of 9's. May he do this, even though he thereby form a second "group" of only two blue cards: 910 ? - Answer: Yes, he may do this because the grey 9 and the blue 9 are forming a "new group of at least 3 cards" when added to the red 9 already present.

(Illustration page 3, top left)
The player wants to add a blue 8 and grey 8 to the red 8. This is allowed because the grey card is not directly adjacent to the yellow card and therefore doesn't have to macth.

A blue 9 may now be placed between the blue 8 and 10, thus forming a new group of at least 3 cards by adding just a single card. It doesn't matter that the two 9's not yet is forming a group.

Example of what isn't allowed:(Illustration page 3, center left)
Neither the blue 10 nor the yellow 9 are creating a new group of at least 3 cards. Even if a yellow 8 is placed adjacent to the 9 will it form a new row of at least 3 cards.

And this isn't allowed either:(Illustration page 3, bottom left)
The player want to form a new group of 3 9's by adding a blue 9 and a grey 9 below the red. This isn't allowed since the grey 9 could never form a valid group together with the yellow 10. Had the player had a yellow 9 instead of the grey would the placement had been perfectly legal.

The Joker cardsMay be used instead of any of the other cards in the deck.

When a Joker is placed is it not marked with a token and it doed not yield any points during scoring.

There may only be 1 Joker per group.

If a player is able, during his turn, to replace a Joker card with the proper Painting card may he mark that card with a token in his color.

When replacing a Joker may the player add the card to his hand, and he may use it in another group during the same turn or keep it for later use.

When a Joker is drawn from the deck may it be used immediately just like other cards.

Closing an Exhibition and ScoringThere is a limit as to the number of cards which may be placed in an Exhibition (see the numbers in the left column of the score pad).
[Translator's note: The Score sheet contains more Exhibitions than actually needed for a single game. You will never need the lower lines above the total sum of 80 cards. This has been offcially recognised as a misprint by Kosmos].

3 or 4-player game:The first Exhibition must contain 14 cards, the second 15, the third 16 etc.

2-player game:The first Exhibition must contain 8 cards, the second 9, the third 10 etc.

The Exhibition is closed as soon as a player has reached the stated limit of Paintings during his turn. The final number of paintings should be as close to the stated limit as possible.

It is permissible to exceed the limit with maximal 1 card, but this will reduce the value during scoring.

Important: A player may never place his entire hand in the Exhibition. He must keep one card to be discarded into the Art market at the end of his turn.

ScoringBegining with the player who closed the Exhibition and continuing in player order are scores calculated and written onto the scorepad:

Each Painting with a token counts its printed value for that player.

A Painting which is part of two different groups is only scored once.

Simply remove the tokens as the Paintings are scored.

The points for each Painting are added together.

The player who closed the Exhibition doubles his score.

Has the player exeeded the stated limit for this Exhibition by one card, is the value of this card deducted from his total before doubling.

Sample play of the evaluation of an Exhibition: (Illustration page 4, top left)

Carl is player GREY and it is his turn. - The present Exhibition must be composed of 15 card. So far has 12 cards been placed. Carl is now able to add a blue 1 and a blue 2; furthermore is he able to add a yellow 8 and a yellow 9. Carl decides to first place the yellow cards. The Exhibition now contains 14 cards. Carl wished he was able to close the Exhibition by adding just a single card somewhere, but unfortunately does he not have a suitable card to add to an existing group. The only cards that fits into the display are the two blue. - Carl cannot just place the blue 1 to the blue 10 since this would create a new group of only two cards (see placement rule 4). So he must add both cards, the blue 1 and the blue 2. Obviously he does this, even though he must deduct the value of the blue 2 from his total (see rules about "Scoring"). But he can live with that as he will double the remaining points due to closing the Exhibition.

Now we calculate the score: Beginning with GREY, who closed the Exhibition. Grey has two tokens in the 7-group (14 points); Grey has an 8 and a 9 in the yellow row (17 points); Grey has a 1 in the blue row (1 point). From this total of 32 points must he deduct the blue 2 for a total of 30 points. This is now doubled because he closed the Exhibition. Grey therefore made 60 points this round.

YELLOW has a 6, 7, 8 and 9 for a total of 30 points.
WHITE has a 8 and a 10 for a total of 18 points.
PURPLE has 3 10's for a total of 30 points.
The Joker in the grey group doesn't count anyone.

Additional Exhibitions

After a scoring are all cards in the Exhibition removed from the game and returned to the box.

The open stack of cards in the Art Market is kept unchanged for the next round.

Each player keep his hand of card for the next Exhibition. The players may thus begin the new round with a different size of hand.

The player to the left of the player who closed the last Exhibition begins the new round (see "Opening of an Exhibition").

End of the GameThe end game begins when the draw pile has been exhausted. From then on must the players play with the cards remaining in their hands.

The Art Market stack is immediately removed from the game and cards returned to the box. From now on does a player not discard a card after having placed cards into the Exhibition.

A player who cannot place a suitable card stays in the game, but must pass this turn.

The game ends when all players have passed in succession - that is when no-one is able to placa cards anymore. The last Exhibition is still scored, even when it doesn't contain the necessary number of cards. If that is the case will no player double his score.

For the final Exhibition will cards still in hands count negatively for those players. Simply deduct the value of each card from the score.

Now are the points from all Exhibitions tallied for each player, and the player with the highest total wins the game.

Carl Spitzweg by Belser - The Spitzweg Game

The gripping and fascinating richness in Carl Spitzweg's paintings and the immense thematic wealth almost begs to be made into a game.

Spizweg actually designed several sets og playing cards. Among the works left in his estate are there found designs he created for a French card company. Ulm, Augsburg and Nürnberg had an significant card manufacturing industry since the 16. Century where different card designs would regularly be shown at exhibitions. Spizweg wrote that he had been inspired by an exhibition in Nürnberg he had seen, to draw cards in the four suits "Cross" (Clubs), "Spades", "Hearts" and "Diamonds". But he didn't just design the cards, he played various cards games with his small nephews using his own designs. Spizweg was convinced that card gaming kept the human mind active.

The stimulating effect on the mind and the pleasure in gaming can discovered in this game. The opportunity to encounter the diversity of Spitzweg's imagery and thereby learning more about his works is offered in a playful entertaining fashion.

With the idea of creating absorbing and delightful exhibitions of Spitzweg's works are the main themes constantly assembled in new variations.

During the competing circumstances in which the players take part in the exhibitions as art collectors, who absolutely must have their paintings represented, has the game its attraction which is difficult to escape.

This is the spirit in which one should enjoy the varied game situations where one can discover the artist Carl Spitzweg in a entirrely new way.

Theme Groups

Landscapes

Travels & Walks

Carl Spitzweg's landscapes are dominated by broad views and sights from the heights deep into the valley. He mostly used the rectangular canvas - the socalled handkerchief format - to emphasize the sky. In Spitzweg's conception represent the wides also the wideness of time. The path of the traveller leads into the distance, into the unknown and is embraced by yearnings.

The mail coach was an everyday conveyance at Spitzweg's time, and there was hardly a day between 1832 and 1860 where he didn't order an express carriage or travelled longer or shorter distances with the stage coach. Carl Spitweg lived for his walks and travels which took through all of Europe. Wanderlust was not the only cause to his travels; often was he in search of new discoveries and adventures, especially in his travels to the South.

1. Travelling comedians2. Custom house in Zirl/Tirol3. Excursion to the mountains4. The papal custom guard5. A reunion6. Englishmen in Campagna7. School children in the forest8. The arrival of the stage coach9. Institution on walk10. The Sunday walk

Love and Longing

Life in the city

Ballads and Italian opera, mostly the Venezian Opera Buffa, inspired Carl Spitzweg to his most enchanting paintings portraying the love theme. The open window, in front of which the story unfolds, is one of the most important elements. The painting "The captured love letter", show both windows in the story of the mother who has caught a letter of delicate substance intended for her daughter. The message of longing and love runs like a red thread through the works of Spitzweg, whether it is conveyed through a love letter or by a serenade.

1. Serenade in moonlight2. The forbidden path3. The private lesson4. Meeting in the woods5. The infatuated provisor6. The serenade7. The captured love letter8. The love letter9. The messenger in Rosenthal10. The eternal suitor

The city of Munich remained center of Carl Spitzweg's artistic life. He changed domicile several times for finally finding his favorite angle down at the haymarket. On his walks through the cities of Europe did he study the moments he later sketched into his city scenes. Whether it be a visit by the fathers of the country, the washer-women at the well, or the nightly quartet beneath the windows of an unknown beauty.

1. Art and Science2. Nightly homecoming3. Washerwomen at the well4. The eye of the law (Justitia)5. Visit by the fathers of the country6. Terrace in front of the Stork pharmacy7. Moonlit landscape8. The Quartet9. The congratulator10. Nightly serenades

Peace in Land

Spitzweg Types & Characters

Carl Spitzweg was an alert observer of the political events in Europe. The latent change of the power structure between monarchy and strengthened bourgeoisie lead to the formation of numerous tiny armies, often recruited by veterans. The fortress guards provided the painter Spitzweg with inexhaustible motifs. His irony towards the military is transparent in his works where he expose soldiers on their longwinded duties catching flies, knitting, or pure and simple at sleep.

After the bellicose events of the year 1866 turn Spitzweg towards new heroes who embodies the droll eccentrics better than the militant peace warriors. Whether the cranky scientist in his study, the mineralogist in the mountain cave, the cactus collector, the impoverished poet, bookworms or Sunday hunters - extraordinary portraits of endearing characters in Spitzweg's universe illustrates both his loving ironic view of his fellow men and his critical view on the contemporary science.

1. The History painter2. The favorite spot3. The reading4. "This is your world"5. Difficult footbridge6. The Attic7. The Bookworm8. The Geologist9. The Sunday hunter10. The impoverished poet

Among Monks and Hermits

Fantastic Worlds

The Monk figure takes different forms in Carl Spitzweg's portraits. In the early works is the cleric often portrayed as an eccentric who, for example, has separated himself from the daily life behind a wall of cacti. In later works are the motif repeated through elderly monks yearning for love while looking at young girls. Pilgrims and hermits in their reclusion fascinated the travelling Carl Spitzweg so much that he made the devise of the hermits: "who lives in hiding, lives well" into his own motto.

The reality reveals itself in Spitzweg's fantastic depictions of a wonderworld. The happenings takes form as a colorful play which draw the protagonists of the paintings into its spell. Above all is it the visions of Jules Verne which fascinated Spitzweg and inspired his fantastic scenes. His witch paintings are definitely influenced by the works of the Swiss painter Arnold Böcklin. Carl Spitzweg's diaries are full of fantastic sketches used in his complex fantasies.

1. In front of the fleeing wyvern2. Gnome3. Bathing nymphs4. The frightened hermit5. Mountainous landscape with bathers6. In the kitchen of the witch7. The Sorcerer8. Witch ride9. The Nature scientist10. The Butterfly cather